Hay

Hay has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Hay's population was around 2,926 as of November 2025. This reflected an increase of 29 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,897 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 2,880 in June 2024 and an additional 36 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equated to a density ratio of 0.20 persons per square kilometer. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration.

AreaSearch adopted ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections were used, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations were applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, projections indicated a decline of 281 persons overall, but an increase of 61 people in the 75 to 84 age group.

The level of residential development activity in Hay is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Hay has recorded approximately four residential properties granted approval per year. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, 23 homes have been approved, with three more approved so far in FY-26. Despite a falling population during this period, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with good buyer choice.

The average value of new dwellings developed is $896,000, indicating that developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. This financial year, $19.1 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, demonstrating moderate levels of commercial development compared to other areas. Hay shows substantially reduced construction activity (63.0% below regional average per person) compared to the Rest of NSW. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established homes. However, construction activity has intensified recently, though it remains lower than national averages, reflecting market maturity and possible development constraints.

All new construction in Hay has been standalone homes, preserving its low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 477 people, indicating a quiet, low activity development environment. With population expected to remain stable or decline, Hay should see reduced pressure on housing, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

Hay has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 15 projects likely impacting the area. Key projects include Hay Structure Plan, John Houston Memorial Pool Upgrade, Hay Health Services Redevelopment, and Bishops Lodge Affordable Housing Development. The following list details those expected to be most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

The employment landscape in Hay shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Hay has a balanced workforce with representation from both white and blue collar jobs across various sectors. The unemployment rate is 4.1%, with an estimated employment growth of 3.6% over the past year as of June 2025.

There are 1,658 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 0.4% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation is similar to Rest of NSW at 56.4%. Employment is concentrated in agriculture, forestry & fishing, retail trade, and construction, with a particularly strong specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing at 4.7 times the regional level. Health care & social assistance employs 7.9% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 16.9%.

Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. In the 12-month period ending June 2025, employment increased by 3.6% while labour force grew by 4.5%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.8 percentage points. This contrasts with Rest of NSW where employment contracted by 0.1%, labour force grew by 0.3%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data to Nov-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03% (losing 2,260 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. National forecasts from May-25 suggest national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Hay's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.0% over five years and 11.0% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ended June 30, 2022 shows median income in Hay SA2 was $49,311 and average income was $55,183. This is lower than national averages of $57,071 (median) and $67,331 (average). In comparison, Rest of NSW had median income of $49,459 and average income of $62,998 in the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth rate of 12.61% from financial year ended June 30, 2022 to September 2025, estimated median income for Hay SA2 would be approximately $55,529 and average income would be around $62,142 as of September 2025. Census data indicates that household, family, and personal incomes in Hay all fall between the 15th and 28th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals that 29.6% of residents (866 people) earn between $1,500 to $2,999, similar to regional levels where 29.9% occupy this bracket. Housing costs are modest with 91.9% of income retained, but total disposable income ranks at just the 24th percentile nationally.

Hay is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Hay's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 91.6% houses and 8.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 92.7% houses and 7.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Hay stood at 47.3%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (23.9%) or rented (28.8%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $894, below Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,179. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $175, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $200. Nationally, Hay's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Hay features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 64.7% of all households, including 22.1% couples with children, 30.6% couples without children, and 10.5% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 35.3%, with lone person households at 33.7% and group households comprising 2.2%. The median household size is 2.2 people, smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

Hay faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 12.0%, significantly lower than NSW's average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 9.0%, followed by graduate diplomas (1.7%) and postgraduate qualifications (1.3%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 38.9% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (9.4%) and certificates (29.5%). Educational participation is high at 28.6%, comprising primary education (11.8%), secondary education (7.9%), and tertiary education (1.6%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 28.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.8% in primary education, 7.9% in secondary education, and 1.6% pursuing tertiary education.

Transport servicing is very low compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Transport analysis indicates 16 operational stops in Hay, offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 8 distinct routes, facilitating 74 weekly passenger trips collectively. Transport accessibility is assessed as limited, with residents situated an average of 1749 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 10 trips daily across all routes, translating to approximately 4 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Hay is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Hay faces significant health challenges, with common conditions prevalent across all ages. Private health cover is low at approximately 48%, compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most common conditions are asthma (10.3%) and arthritis (9.8%). 61.3% report no medical ailments, lower than Rest of NSW's 65.8%. Residents aged 65 and over comprise 26.8%, higher than Rest of NSW's 22.9%.

Hay is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Hay's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 84.7% of its population being citizens, 92.2% born in Australia, and 95.4% speaking English only at home. The dominant religion in Hay is Christianity, accounting for 69.7% of the population, compared to 57.0% across the Rest of NSW. In terms of ancestry, the top three groups represented in Hay are Australian (33.9%), English (32.8%), and Irish (8.2%).

Notably, certain ethnic groups have different representations: Australian Aboriginal is higher at 6.3% in Hay compared to 5.9% regionally, Maori is slightly higher at 0.5% versus 0.3%, and Scottish is nearly equal at 7.7%.

Hay hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Hay's median age is 48 years, which is older than Rest of NSW's 43 years and significantly higher than the Australian median of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 55-64 years are particularly prominent at 17.1%, while the 35-44 year-olds make up only 8.7%. This concentration of 55-64 year-olds is well above the national average of 11.2%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 65 to 74 age group has grown from 11.5% to 13.6%, and the 85+ cohort has increased from 3.1% to 4.2%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 year-olds have declined from 11.6% to 10.2%, and the 55 to 64 year-old group has dropped from 18.2% to 17.1%. Demographic modeling suggests that Hay's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 75 to 84 age cohort is projected to grow steadily, expanding by 53 people (20%) from 263 to 317. Senior residents aged 65 and above will drive all population growth, underscoring demographic aging trends. Meanwhile, both the 65 to 74 year-old and 45 to 54 year-old age groups are expected to decrease in number.